# US 10,120,379 B1 · User interface for displaying internal state of autonomous driving system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,120,379 B1 - Document ID: US10120379B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 15/602,465 - Filed: 2017-05-23 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2010-04-28 - Assignees: Waymo LLC - Applicants: Waymo LLC - Inventors: Andrew Timothy Szybalski; Luis Ricardo Prada Gomez; Christopher Paul Urmson; Sebastian Thrun; Philip Nemec - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10120379B1 ## CPC - B60W 50/082: {Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling} - B60W 10/04: including control of propulsion units - B60W 10/18: including control of braking systems - B60W 10/20: including control of steering systems - B60W 10/30: including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps - B60W 50/10: Interpretation of driver requests or demands - B60W 50/14: Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention - B62D 1/286: {Systems for interrupting non-mechanical steering due to driver intervention} - B62D 15/025: {Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation (B62D1/28 takes precedence)} - G01S 19/10: providing dedicated supplementary positioning signals - G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) - G06F 3/04847: Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials - B60W 60/0053: {from vehicle to occupant} - B60W 2050/146: {Display means} - G06F 3/0481: based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A passenger in an automated vehicle may relinquish control of the vehicle to a control computer when the control computer has determined that it may maneuver the vehicle safely to a destination. The passenger may relinquish or regain control of the vehicle by applying different degrees of pressure, for example, on a steering wheel of the vehicle. The control computer may convey status information to a passenger in a variety of ways including by illuminating elements of the vehicle. The color and location of the illumination may indicate the status of the control computer, for example, whether the control computer has been armed, is ready to take control of the vehicle, or is currently controlling the vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: determining, by one or more processors, that a control computer is ready to control the vehicle in an autonomous driving mode; in response to the identifying, illuminating, by the one or more processors, a first portion of a display of the vehicle in a first color to indicate a first status that the control computer is engaged and ready to control the vehicle in an autonomous driving mode; and when the control computer is controlling the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode, illuminating, by the one or more processors, a second portion of the vehicle in a second color different from the first color, to indicate a second status that the control computer is controlling the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising when the control computer is armed but not ready to control the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode, illuminating the second portion of the vehicle in a third color different from the first color, and wherein third color is different form the second color. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a speed of the vehicle; and displaying on the display the speed of the vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining that the control computer will not be able to control the vehicle safely; and providing an audible alert to a passenger of the vehicle to indicate an emergency based on the determination. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, displaying on the display, instructions to grip a steering wheel of the vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, providing audible instructions to grip a steering wheel of the vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving user input at a button of the vehicle; and in response to receiving the user input, engaging the control computer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving user input at a lever of the vehicle; and in response to receiving the user input, engaging the control computer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion are a same area of the display. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion are different areas of the vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising when the vehicle is being controlled by a driver in a manual driving mode, illuminating the second portion of the vehicle in a third color different from the first color, to indicate a third status that the driver is controlling the vehicle in the manual driving mode, and wherein the third color is different from the second color. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: displaying on a first display area of the display a map representation; displaying on a second display area of the display a representation of the vehicle; and displaying on a third display area information representing the status of the vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving user input at an input apparatus of the vehicle; and in response to the user input, changing the vehicle from the autonomous driving mode to a different driving mode. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the different driving mode is a manual driving mode where a driver controls steering of the vehicle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the different driving mode is a manual driving mode where a driver controls acceleration of the vehicle. ### Claim 16 A system comprising one or more processors configured to: determine that a control computer is ready to control the vehicle in an autonomous driving mode; in response to the identifying, illuminate a first portion of a display of the vehicle in a first color to indicate a first status that the control computer is engaged and ready to control the vehicle in an autonomous driving mode; and when the control computer is controlling the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode, illuminate a second portion of the vehicle in a second color different from the first color, to indicate a second status that the control computer is controlling the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, when the control computer is armed but not ready to control the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode, illuminate the second portion of the vehicle in a third color different from the first color, and wherein third color is different form the second color. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine that the control computer will not be able to control the vehicle safely; and provide an audible alert to a passenger of the vehicle to indicate an emergency based on the determination. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to display, on the display, instructions to grip a steering wheel of the vehicle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: receive user input at a button of the vehicle; and in response to receiving the user input, engage the control computer.